The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 9 September, dismissed three fresh petitions seeking postponement of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test, which is scheduled on 13 September, reported LiveLaw.
This is the third such petition to be dismissed by the apex court, which had not only dismissed a plea challenging the conduct of JEE Main and NEET UG in September, but also refused to entertain a follow-up review petition filed by six states.
Wednesday’s hearing was before a three-judge bench comprising justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah, which asked how exams can be postponed when JEE Mains have already been held between 1 to 6 September.
“Everything is over now. Review has also been dismissed. JEE is also over. How can we consider the petition now?” the bench asked, while adding that all arrangements have been made by authorities and that exams are just a few days away.
Appearing for one of the petitioners, Senior Advocate Arvind Datar stated that about 16 lakh students are scheduled to appear for NEET, which is a pen-and-paper entrance exam for admissions to under-graduate medical courses.
“Take the case of Bihar. There are only two centres - Patna & Gaya. Trains are not running till 30th. We are only asking for 3 weeks’ postponement.”Senior Advocate Arvind Datar
Senior Advocate KTS Tulsi submitted that Bombay High Court had recently asked the National Testing Agency to reconsider students would could not write JEE Main and requested the apex court to pass similar directions.
Datar then urged the court to pass a direction that “if a good percentage of students are not able to write the exam, let the authority be directed to give them one more chance.”
The bench, however, said that it is not inclined, leading to the dismissal of the petition.
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